Hello A Life Overseas Friends,
A friend and I were talking a few hours ago about a part of the world we hold dear and ended up by saying, “It’s complicated.” The same could be said about Christmas.
Why did Jesus come? On one level it is so simple, and yet it is also complicated.
From now until heaven, having loved both sides of the world, I am with my people and never with my people.
Sometimes celebrating is easy and fun, other years, it is an act of discipline.
Often the season is filled with normal life (whatever that is!) and an added layer of ministry. Which is, a blessing and exhausting.
One of the best parts of Christmas overseas is learning how the teammates and local culture celebrate (or strip away some of the trappings of) Christmas. As I thought about this post and what I want/need from this space, I realized that in addition to the words we share, I wanted to know a little bit about you and what Christmas is like around the world.
So today, let’s have a party!
I would bring “Nuts and Bolts” — a snack mix my mom only makes at Christmas time. It has dry cereal, pretzel sticks, and nuts . . . covered in some magical yummy sauce and baked with love. Sometimes she would freeze me some and I could enjoy it when I visited.
Normally, I do not go above and beyond when it comes to food. I tend to aim for beneath and in front of me, but because it is Christmas and this is a virtual party, I’m also going to bring fig pudding. My father “always had fig pudding” because his mom made it; so when my mom married into the family and the traditions of cooking passed to her, she learned to make it. We have it every year.
For me, Nuts and Bolts and fig pudding are the flavors of Christmas. Cookies are a given, am I right?!
I would have us listen to Silent Night in Chinese.
What are you bringing to the party? We need more food, beverages, music, decorations, and activities. How is Christmas celebrated where you live? Or in one of the countries you have lived? Since most of the party will happen in the comments, I’ll see you there.
Merry Happy Blessed Christmas everyone!
Amy
P.S. Thanks last month for taking the survey about your first year on the field! Your input has already elevated the book that is being born and I am grateful for the ways you are helping to pay your experience forward.
Photo by Izabella Bedő from Pexels
